Comparing Great Wide Receiver Draft Classes

[Brian wolf]

In terms of quantity and quality, the Class Of 1996 might have been the best for wide receivers. As John Turney mentioned in another thread, there were at least 10 wideouts(tight ends werent counted)
that had over 7000 career yards receiving and over 35 career TDs, not counting postseason.

Leading Draftees

Terrell Owens -- 15,934 yrds, 153 TDs 6PBs 5APs(first team)
Marvin Harrison -- 14,580, 128 TDs 8PBs 3APs 1SB
Muhsin Muhammad -- 11,438, 62 TDs 2PBs 1AP
Keyshawn Johnson -- 10,571, 64 TDs 3PBs 1SB
Eric Moulds -- 9,995, 49 TDs, 3PBs
Amani Toomer -- 9,497 54 TDs 1SB
Terry Glenn -- 8,823, 44TDs 1PB 1SB
Joe Horn -- 8,744, 58TDs 4PBs
Eddie Kennison -- 8,345, 42 TDs
Bobby Engram -- 7,751, 35 TDs
Jermaine Lewis -- special teams ace, 1SB

A great class indeed. Many felt Owens was the best receiver in the group but I preferred Marvin Harrison ... Alex Van Dyke, Bryan Still and Derrick Mayes were high draft picks that never made an impact.

Was this Class better than the 1964 Class?

In 1964, Charley Taylor, Paul Warfield and Bob Hayes were eventually elected to the HOF. Dave Parks was also outstanding, but never recovered from a 1967 salary dispute and injuries with the 49ers, where he was either traded to the Saints or played out his option. If anyone knows the real story about what happened to Parks in 1967(Injuries?) I would like to hear about it? He just wasnt the same for New Orleans, being later converted to TE. Al Denson and Warren Wells also came from this draft. Denson would have been even better with an outstanding QB, while Wells was a scoring machine who might have made the HOF had he not had alcohol issues which lead to arrests and incarceration.
Bucky Pope only played for a few seasons but what a rookie season! 25 catches for over 700 yrds but 10 TDs and over 30 yrds per catch !

Another great Class was 1988, which produced Tim Brown and Michael Irvin in the HOF and other great receiving careers like Sterling Sharpe, Anthony Miller and Brian Blades.
Sharpe was dominant despite a short career and may be elected this year as a senior candidate.

The Class Of 1957 was also a great class with Don Maynard and Tommy McDonald making the HOF, with Del Shofner being deserving as well and Jimmy Orr having a great career.

The Class Of 1985 was a great class as well with Jerry Rice and Andre Reed making the HOF with Eric Martin, Al Toon and Eddie Brown also having great careers. Toon and Brown both might have made the HOF had it not been for injury-shortened careers ... Toon reminded me of a slower version of Randy Moss, smooth as well ...

The Classes Of 2001 and 2010 were huge also, with Reggie Wayne, Steve Smith and Chad Johnson vying for the HOF from 2001, and Antonio Brown, Demaryius Thomas and Dez Bryant having great careers from 2010. Brown is polarizing but should make the HOF eventually.

We cant forget The Class Of 1965 ... HOF player Fred Biletnikoff, great careers from Otis Taylor, Gary Garrison, Roy Jefferson and Jack Snow, who would have been better if the Rams were more wide open. George Sauer Jr. also came from this class and might have made the HOF--and helped Joe Namath's career--had he not retired after only six seasons. Without his fumble in the SB, which would have been ruled incomplete in today's game, he might have been considered a candidate for MVP along with Matt Snell and Winston Hill ...

[JohnTurney]

Many felt Owens was the best receiver in the group but I preferred Marvin Harrison.

A controversial take. . . that I tend to agree with.

Obviously, Owens is the bigger, more powerful but
both in good offensive systems (Owens in many) but what tilts my opinions
is the SN All-NFLs and the comments by a few top corners, they thought he was
the harder to cover.

As with all these things, a matter of opinion, no wrong answer really. Sometimes
smooth, quick, route running seems to be harder to cover, at least to a few CBs.

Certainly respect that most will go with Owens as the better of the two, but
have to give the playoffs edge to TO.

[Jay Z]

Dave Parks had hamstring issues in 1967 and 1968.

He played out his option with the 49ers and signed as a FA with the Saints. I believe the comp was Kevin Hardy and a DC that turned into Ted Kwalick.

According to a Pro Quarterback Magazine interview, Parks regretted signing with the Saints. He blamed the hammy issues on the training methods of the Saints, though he'd had the issue the last year with the 49ers. Didn't like playing TE or Billy Kilmer. He seemed to have better numbers in his years with Manning. I think his numbers did suffer going from the high passing 49ers the same way JJ Jefferson did going from the Chargers to the Packers.

[Brian wolf]

Thanks Jay Z ... thought contract issues led to missing games, thus injuries. The Niners should have taken better care of him. One thing about Kilmer, he didnt lack for capable receivers wherever he went.

[sheajets]

1991 was a solid under the radar WR draft class.

Keenan McCardell
Herman Moore
Jeff Graham
Ed McCaffrey
Shawn Jefferson
Jake Reed
Michael Jackson
Rocket Ismael
Mike Pritchard
Yancey Thigpen
Randal Hill
Alvin Harper
Lawrence Dawsey
Ernie Mills
Derek Russell

Not all time legends...but still 10 guys who had 5,000 or more receiving yards at the NFL level. 8 receivers who would go on to have 1,000+ yard seasons

[Gary Najman]

My favorite has to be 1978: Wes Chandler, James Lofton and John Jefferson choosen in the first 14 picks. In 1980 it appeared as the three would reach the Hall of Fame, only Lofton made it. Also dependables Mike Renfro and Ron Smith (reaching the playoffs with three diferent teams in three straight years).

[Brian wolf]

The 1991 Class was topnotch as well ... was a big fan of McCardell and for his first seven, eight seasons Moore's impact and numbers were comparable to first ballot HOFer Calvin Johnson. McCaffrey was tough and productive as well but a lot of these receivers could have been better if injuries, free agency and other factors werent involved. Being a Cowboy fan at that time, I hated to see Harper leave but once he got paid with Tampa, he just checked out. I truly felt his career could have been more similar to Tony Hill's ...

[Brian wolf]

Looking at the big three from the 78 draft, Jefferson and Lofton had to work mostly with bad QBs when Dickey was injured in GB but Lofton was the guy no matter what. SD lucked out replacing Chandler for Jefferson but like the other two, needed his QB to stay healthy. Had Fouts not had injury problems from 1983 onward, Chandler would have easily topped over 10,000 career yards.

Alfred Jackson also had some productive years for the Falcons from this class, especially on the deep balls but could never consistently catch passes.

Getting back to the 1996 draft, Muhammed was similar to Owens or Herman Moore and had an underrated career sharing catches with Steve Smith but making big plays himself and blocking well for the Panther's running game. Young Buffalo fans dont remember Eric Moulds but he could be dynamic, having huge games and years, while helping Doug Flutie revive his NFL career. It seemed though that Moulds would follow big yardage years with down years but it might have been due to QBs in and out of the line-up plus the team developing Peerless Price on the other side, whose career was more a disappointment. With the team going from Kelly to Collins, to Flute, to Johnson, to Van Pelt, then Bledsoe, a lot of transition ...

Though he started somewhat slowly, Amani Toomer had a HOVG type career as well but wasnt the same player after getting hurt in 2006. Ironically, Toomer's more productive years were with Kerry Collins rather than Eli Manning.

The career and life of Terry Glenn has been a tragedy, with his son dying not long after he died young but he had a very productive career that would have been even better had Glenn been better able to handle the personal and off the field problems that have affected his entire life.

When Parcells got onto him during his rookie year, Glenn chafed at first but got better and had a great season where Tuna even compared him to Paul Warfield. The high praise seemed justified in the SB when Glenn made a spectacular catch, that seemed to convince Parcells to put the game in Bledsoe's hands rather than Curtis Martin's but Bledsoe had a bad game and Glenn and the team missed out on a championship. With Parcells going to the Jets, Glenn and Bledsoe needed to bond now more than anything but Glenn became a distraction and didnt have a coach to reel him in like Parcells, who later helped rejuvenate his career with the Cowboys. Had he just focused on football and getting better with his QB, they both might have made the HOF but new coach Pete Carroll and later, Belichick couldnt light a fire for either player IMO ...

Being a fan, I hoped that Glenn could get his career going with Favre in GB but that stop didnt last long either and once again, it seemed that Glenn needed Bill Parcells in his life, similar to Keyshawn Johnson, another talented player with attitude, personal issues who seemed to only get motivated with the right coaching. Once Parcells left after putting up with another malcontent receiver in Terrell Owens --along with my love for the team, though I liked Romo-- Glenn's career went as well.

[sheajets]

Looking at the big three from the 78 draft, Jefferson and Lofton had to work mostly with bad QBs when Dickey was injured in GB but Lofton was the guy no matter what. SD lucked out replacing Chandler for Jefferson but like the other two, needed his QB to stay healthy. Had Fouts not had injury problems from 1983 onward, Chandler would have easily topped over 10,000 career yards.

Alfred Jackson also had some productive years for the Falcons from this class, especially on the deep balls but could never consistently catch passes.

Getting back to the 1996 draft, Muhammed was similar to Owens or Herman Moore and had an underrated career sharing catches with Steve Smith but making big plays himself and blocking well for the Panther's running game. Young Buffalo fans dont remember Eric Moulds but he could be dynamic, having huge games and years, while helping Doug Flutie revive his NFL career. It seemed though that Moulds would follow big yardage years with down years but it might have been due to QBs in and out of the line-up plus the team developing Peerless Price on the other side, whose career was more a disappointment. With the team going from Kelly to Collins, to Flute, to Johnson, to Van Pelt, then Bledsoe, a lot of transition ...

Though he started somewhat slowly, Amani Toomer had a HOVG type career as well but wasnt the same player after getting hurt in 2006. Ironically, Toomer's more productive years were with Kerry Collins rather than Eli Manning.

The career and life of Terry Glenn has been a tragedy, with his son dying not long after he died young but he had a very productive career that would have been even better had Glenn been better able to handle the personal and off the field problems that have affected his entire life.

When Parcells got onto him during his rookie year, Glenn chafed at first but got better and had a great season where Tuna even compared him to Paul Warfield. The high praise seemed justified in the SB when Glenn made a spectacular catch, that seemed to convince Parcells to put the game in Bledsoe's hands rather than Curtis Martin's but Bledsoe had a bad game and Glenn and the team missed out on a championship. With Parcells going to the Jets, Glenn and Bledsoe needed to bond now more than anything but Glenn became a distraction and didnt have a coach to reel him in like Parcells, who later helped rejuvenate his career with the Cowboys. Had he just focused on football and getting better with his QB, they both might have made the HOF but new coach Pete Carroll and later, Belichick couldnt light a fire for either player IMO ...

Being a fan, I hoped that Glenn could get his career going with Favre in GB but that stop didnt last long either and once again, it seemed that Glenn needed Bill Parcells in his life, similar to Keyshawn Johnson, another talented player with attitude, personal issues who seemed to only get motivated with the right coaching. Once Parcells left after putting up with another malcontent receiver in Terrell Owens --along with my love for the team, though I liked Romo-- Glenn's career went as well.

Parcells was an excellent motivator with that tactical mind games he's play with certain guys. It would draw the best out of them. The way he'd motivate Jumbo Elliot vs Bruce Smith in the SB, or LT who was having trouble with Irv Pankey. He really understood how to manage various personalities and keep a team on its toes. Even to the point of stirring things up a bit when things are pretty much all going well. 1990 Giants are 7-0, playing the Colts with the game very much in control...and Parcells is yelling and screaming at Simms as if their whole season is about to go down the tubes